When Bug Bites Are More Than Just An Annoyance

When Bug Bites Are More Than Just An Annoyance

One of the things we hate about summer is bugs and the bites they leave behind. Some of them can even make us sick.

One of the things we hate about summer is bugs and the bites they leave behind. Some of them can even make us sick.

Experts say mosquito bites can become a problem if you don't leave them alone.

They have the ability to get very infected, so if they grow to be red and swollen, feel warm to the touch, have any yellowish drainage or crusting over them, you should go see a doctor.

Fever and muscle weakness are also signs a bug bite may be getting the best of you.

Mosquitoes can also carry West Nile virus, but adults are at a much higher risk of contracting the disease than children.

Tick bites are also a common concern this time of the year.They can transmit things like Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Doctors say you should do a "tick check" after spending time in high grass or the woods, and remove them right away.

"Most ticks don't cause infection unless they've been attached for more than 24 hours, or so. So, they actually have to be attached and have a feed and have time to transmit the infection," said Dr. Lara Danziger-Isakov, an infectious diseases expert at Cleveland Clinic.

The Centers For Disease Control recommends removing ticks with a pair of tweezers by grabbing them as close to the skin's surface as possible.